Phallic Imagery

Phallic imagery features in the ancient art of many cultures. In Ancient Egypt the anthropomorphic and ithyphallic (having an erect penis) god Min was depicted holding his erect penis in his left hand while his right hand is raised and holds a flail, a symbol of authority. Being the principle deity of sexuality and virility, his worship may have been celebrated with orgiastic rites as well as being involved in the fertility of agriculture and by extension of the theme of fertility, phallic imagery as such may have cosmogonic associations. In Ancient Greece several traditions of phallic deities and rituals existed and some were later inherited by the Romans. The amuletic use of phallic imagery was well spread amongst the Romans, who used amulet pendants of Fascinus, the phallic deity. As well as the embodiment of generative masculine power, the Fascinus amulet, often a winged penis, is also deeply associated with the protective aspects common to deities of fertility.